1. Field of the Invention
This invention is related to electrical connectors including electrical connectors that employ wire seals and auxiliary or secondary locking members to secure electrical contacts in a housing.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Electrical connectors, especially electrical connectors that are used in automotive applications, commonly employ wire seals, interface seals, and secondary or auxiliary locking members.
Locking members are typically terminal position assurance members that can be shifted between an initial position and a final position in which the locking member engages a housing latch to prevent deflection of the housing latch and displacement of one or more electrical contacts in the electrical connector housing. When the locking member is in the initial position, a terminal can be inserted through the rear of the connector housing. The housing latch is deflected to permit complete insertion of the electrical contact. When the electrical contact is fully inserted, the deflectable latch returns to its normal position. After the latch has returned to its normal position, the locking member can be shifted from its initial to its final position. If the electrical contact is not fully inserted, the latch cannot return to its normal position and the locking member cannot be shifted to its final position. A locking member functioning in this manner can be referred to as a terminal position assurance member.
Locking members of this type can be used on sealed and unsealed electrical connectors. Conventional sealed connectors include an interface seal located on or adjacent to a connector mating face. When the connector is mated with another connector, this interface seal establishes sealing integrity along the mating face. For connectors employing multiple electrical contacts, each attached to a wire, wire sealing means are employed. Typically the electrical contacts are inserted into the rear of the connector housing after the electrical contacts have been terminated to wires. For a conventional sealed connector, the terminals are inserted through wire seals mounted on the rear of the housing. After the terminals are inserted into housing cavities, the seals engage the exterior of each wire to establish sealing integrity around each wire. A single mat seal having multiple wire receiving apertures can be used. Other conventional connectors employ individual wire seals.
One common problem for sealed electrical connectors employing a secondary lock or a terminal position assurance member is that these connector assemblies employ multiple components and the individual components may perform multiple functions. Space then presents a problem because these connectors cannot be too large. The connectors must also perform reliably. For example, sealing integrity around the wires cannot be adversely affected by lateral movement of the wires. The locking members must also be sufficiently retained in both the initial and final positions.